Council of governments releases draft of natural hazard mitigation plan

Published
6:42 pm EST, Friday, January 8, 2016

Heavy winds were moving the snow around, making travel dangerous, during a storm in 2013 in Torrington.

Heavy winds were moving the snow around, making travel dangerous, during a storm in 2013 in Torrington.

Photo: Register Citizen File Photo

Photo: Register Citizen File Photo

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Heavy winds were moving the snow around, making travel dangerous, during a storm in 2013 in Torrington.

Heavy winds were moving the snow around, making travel dangerous, during a storm in 2013 in Torrington.

Photo: Register Citizen File Photo

Council of governments releases draft of natural hazard mitigation plan

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TORRINGTON >> The Northwest Hills Council of Governments has released a draft natural hazard mitigation plan, which will be taken into consideration in 11 local municipalities, including Torrington and Winchester.

“Communities in the Litchfield Hills have been hard hit by severe winter storms, high winds, and flooding in recent years. These events pose a significant threat to public safety and the buildings and infrastructure in the region,” wrote representatives of the council in a release announcing the draft report. “The purpose of the ‘Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan’ is to identify what can be done today to lessen the severity of a natural hazard that may strike tomorrow. In addition to providing helpful information for local officials to consider in mitigating natural hazards, the preparation of the Plan is required for municipalities to qualify for federal pre-disaster hazard mitigation funding.”

The draft report, which spans some 200-plus pages, takes a comprehensive look at the risks, potential impacts and major concerns regarding natural hazards, otherwise known as natural disasters, for each of the towns and cities which were formerly a part of the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials — Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Litchfield, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, Torrington and Winchester.

Among other features, it provides a history of each of the communities, notes both their current and previous economic status in the region and provides a town-by-town breakdown of ongoing and potential efforts to prepare for, educate the populace about, and, in the eventuality that it is needed, provide an organized response to a variety of natural hazards.

It also takes into consideration HAZUS — “a nationally applicable standardized methodology that contains models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods and hurricane,” as described on the website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — simulations of natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes, providing a statistical starting point for the hazards posed by such events.

A list of potential mitigation actions for both the public and municipal governments, which touches on general preparation for natural disasters and initiatives to respond to specific storms and other events, is also included.

Residents, business owners and other interested parties are invited to share their thoughts and feedback on the draft report, which is available on the NHCOG website in the “Reports & Documents” section.

The council will be holding a brief informational session for those interested in learning more about the contents of the plan on Jan. 20, according to the release.

As described, the event will be held in the NHCOG offices, 59 Torrington Road in Goshen, and run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a specific presentation on the contents of the plan taking place at 5 p.m.

In the event of inclement weather, it will be rescheduled for Jan. 26.

The inaugural edition of the natural hazard mitigation plan was developed in 2006, as a result of the efforts of the LHCEO, which merged with the Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments to form the NHCOG in 2013.

This draft report builds on the conclusions of the 2006 iteration.

The purpose of this “Litchfield Hills Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: 2016 Update” is to reconsider the major natural hazards within the region, assess the municipal vulnerability to these hazards, and propose various mitigation strategies that will serve to reduce the loss of life and property, economic disruption, and disaster assistance costs resulting from these hazards,” wrote NHCOG officials as part of the draft report. “Overall, the plan’s major goal is to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property resulting from natural hazards to the extent practicable.”